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Windows 8: Conceited design...
Dec. 23rd, 2012 11:55 amContinuing in the spirit of the day so far, I've just lost a post that took the better part of an hour to write, not that I was writing it for all that time, but because I was documenting an aspect of what is turning out to be the wall-to-wall funhouse (not!) that is Windows 8.
It started with an inability to sign into Skype, and ended with the information, presented to me on a Settings screen, that no wireless devices are available on my machine. No hint, no breath of what I might do about the situation if, say, I know there there is a wireless device installed in my machine. After running though the troubleshooter (something I knew about and was able to eventually find because I am an experienced Windows user... criminy, I pity the user for whom Windows 8 represents "first contact" with Windows), I am no closer to a solution than I am to Keokuk, Iowa.
In the end, there appears to be no way to determine whether there is an actual hardware problem, or whether Windows 8 is simply misconfigured. I suspect the latter, because (a) the Wi-Fi LED on the front edge of the computer is lit, and (b) it's the smart way to bet in any situation involving Windows.
Cheers...
UPDATE: It turns out the problem was software-related, apparently the result of having installed my avast! antivirus, after which there were two firewalls (avast!'s and Windows Firewall) running on the machine. I used the Windows "Restore Point" feature for the first time ever, which worked, deleting the antivirus installation and restoring wireless operation. Then I went in, disabled Windows Firewall and Windows Defender (for good measure) and reinstalled the avast! software. So far, so good...
It started with an inability to sign into Skype, and ended with the information, presented to me on a Settings screen, that no wireless devices are available on my machine. No hint, no breath of what I might do about the situation if, say, I know there there is a wireless device installed in my machine. After running though the troubleshooter (something I knew about and was able to eventually find because I am an experienced Windows user... criminy, I pity the user for whom Windows 8 represents "first contact" with Windows), I am no closer to a solution than I am to Keokuk, Iowa.
In the end, there appears to be no way to determine whether there is an actual hardware problem, or whether Windows 8 is simply misconfigured. I suspect the latter, because (a) the Wi-Fi LED on the front edge of the computer is lit, and (b) it's the smart way to bet in any situation involving Windows.
Cheers...
UPDATE: It turns out the problem was software-related, apparently the result of having installed my avast! antivirus, after which there were two firewalls (avast!'s and Windows Firewall) running on the machine. I used the Windows "Restore Point" feature for the first time ever, which worked, deleting the antivirus installation and restoring wireless operation. Then I went in, disabled Windows Firewall and Windows Defender (for good measure) and reinstalled the avast! software. So far, so good...
